Meet Our Staff

James P. Merriam, M.Div

James Merriam is a Northeast Kingdom native, the son of a Congregational Minister, and a lifelong member of the United Church of Christ. He attended Montpelier High School and Haverford College before earning a Masters of Divinity from the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley California where he specializes in scripturally based process theology and the prophecy in church governance but his spiritual interests are wide-ranging. While in seminary he met his lovely wife Kendall who is also a native Vermonter and with whom has shared many adventures and plans for many more.Easily recognisable by his red hair and beard you may see him floating in the lake, skiing, or riding his bike in Newport or the surrounding hills. James is a Member in Discernment with the Vermont Conference UCC, and hopes to be ordained in that denomination sometime in late 2017.

Janet Wiseman, Lay Minister

Janet grew up in southeastern Ohio. After attending Marietta College she has worked in accounting for over 45 years. Janet has been active in church her entire life serving in various roles. She served in the Emmaus Communities from 1987 to 2004 where she obtained lay speaking training and completed a United Methodist lay speaking course. Janet is enjoying the opportunity to serve as a lay pastor for the United Church of Newport.

Amy Newton, Choir Director

Amy grew up in Newport attending the United Church of Newport. Upon graduating from Castleton University (formerly Castleton State College) with a Bachelors Degree in Music Education she began teaching K-8 music in three local elementary schools. Amy has been directing the choir since the Fall of 2011.

Ruth Marquette, Handbell Choir Director

Vivian Spates, Organist

David Barlow, Organist

Valerie Rittershausen , Secretary

Valerie had been coming up to Newport on summer vacations since 1984. When her and her husband, Paul, inherited a summer house on the lake that they decided to rebuild and retire to the Northeast Kingdom.Valerie has worked many jobs over her career to include; Executive Assistant at St. Michael’s College, owning her own Cake Shop, a church secretary in South Burlington, as well as Director of Youth Ministry. She attended Trinity Lutheran College in September of 2007 and received her certificate in Youth Ministry from the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA). She has taken youth to 3 National Youth Gatherings for the ELCA (2006, 2009, 2012). Then volunteered with her husband at the 2015 event in Detroit and is now looking forward to Houston, TX in 2018.Valerie comes to us as a ‘jack of all trades-master of none’ as she puts it. Spending time with her husband and six grandchildren is the highlight of her day.She also enjoys sewing (creating) and traveling.Her goal is to step foot on all 7 continents and all 50 states.The hard ones are all done; Antarctica, Africa, Alaska, Hawaii. ​